The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1887-04-02
THE ETHICS or nUGaING.
Learned DisquIsitlon Upon Very Popular
Induatry.

Industry.
A few days ago a young gentleman
residing on Polk avenue hugged his
grandmother with such fervor that three
of the old lady's ribs were disloeated,
and she now lies In a precarious condi-
tion. This, ] may add. is an unpreced
ented case Men have hugged the OPP
posite sex with such feroeity as to en-.
danger their lives, but then the opera
tion was not performed upon the grand.
mother. About year ago young
man In the east embraced his sweet
heart and when the hug was over he
found she was dead. But she had long
suffered from disease of the heart; so
he was only in part responsible for this
melancholy occurrence. Hugging Is a
comparatively modern institution. Our
ancestors never hugged. They calmly
and demurely embraced. Now, here
pause TO draw the line between the hug
and the embrace. The hug is an earn
est. quick, impetuous contraction of the
muscles of the arms and chest when the
object to be- hugged lies within the circle
bounded by the arms, while the chest II
the goal or final point of the hug. The
warmth of the hug is determined by the
extent OF muscular contraction. But
the hug is not, as anatomists assert
terminated when the object Is brought
in contact with the chest On tho con-
trary. the sweeping in Is but the shell OF
the operation. The kernel is reached
when the space between the hugger and
the huggee Is annihilated, and the blade
of knife could scarcely be inserted be-
tween both surfaces. This Is, perhaps,
the most dangerous stage of the opera
ton. A pound, nay few ounces. OF
extra pressure may result. il not in the
displacement of a rib. at least in the
bursting of corset string, with the a.
most inevitable destruction of bangs,
montagues, and such like headgear
The release. II not skillfully managed.
is also attended with danger, and should
be as gradual as the elementary pres
sure.
Expressions OF anguish ON the part oi
the huggee may. AS rule, be regarded
as hvpocritical, aud should have no Of.
feet in inducing the hugger to diminish
the pressure. In like manner all dan
ger-signals in regard TO the arrival of a
third party on the scene should De in
vestigatcd by the party of the first be
fore receiving the attention the genuine
arrival of "A parent or guardian might
command. This may be done by q
quick glance over the shoulder, and
this rapid change Of tho direction OF tn'
head may be accomplished by little
practice without making any relaxation
of pressure necessary. IL the warning
should prove to be without foundation
the deceit may be punished by from two
TO three pounds additional pressure.
but so gradual that none of the adorn
ments OF the person hugged may suffer.
For these little accidents ruffle the tenn
per and embitter the memory of the
operation. The small affairs of the toile
are not accomplished easily. and the fe
male mind is ruiIied by the destruction
OF the laborious embellishments of th,
morning hour.
Near relatives should be embraced
and not hugCed. The embrace is mere
+ ly the throwing out and partial contrsc
/ ton of the arms. without any specia
attention to an objective point An
especially young and pretty aunt ma,
be excepted. and | have known case.
where an extremely Juvenile and good
I looking step-mother has been the occa
( sion of the merging of the embrace int
{ the hug. But this is rarely done. and
/ is attended with much danger. particu
larly If the embracer is dependent OF
| the purse OF the old man for the neces
sites. as well as the luxuries. of life. II,
embrace "A muther-in-law is hollow
mockery. and should be attempted onll
when some important object has To b.
attained. aud even then we doubt IL !
/ is eNcusable. A cousin may be eithe
/ nugged or embraced. as the fancy of th.
operator may dictate. the choice de
pending solely on the age and gooC
/ looks OF this most convenient and de
/ lightful relation. - Sacramento Bee.